One-way Pass (between Four Gables and Mt Humphreys)
Posted: Sun Sep 18, 2016 2:28 pm
TITLE: One-way Pass
GENERAL OVERVIEW: It gives access between upper Horton Lakes and Desolation Lake, crossing the Sierra Crest about half way between Four Gables and Mt. Humphreys
CLASS/DIFFICULTY: Class 2
LOCATION: 37.286N, -118.684E HST Map
ELEVATION: 12,620ft
USGS TOPO MAP (7.5'): Mount Tom, CA
ROUTE DESCRIPTION: Secor provides good descriptions of this route (from both sides) as approach routes for climbing Mt. Humphreys. We scoured the internet for any trip reports for anyone having actually used it as a cross country route over the Sierra Crest. We didn't see any use paths but a few old boot prints make it clear that people do occasionally use it.
From the upper of the two Upper Horton Lakes, go up the rockbound valley (heading SW) on medium to large talus. There appear to be two possible gulley routes along the south wall of this small valley on both sides of a cliff band. We tried and succeeded on the first of these. It was small loose talus and scree, but doable with full packs. From the top of the gully, an easy shallow valley leads to the obvious, sandy pass. Desolation Lake is an easy walk down. It also looked like you could follow the foot of Humphreys toward the Humphrey's Lakes and Piute Pass.
As far as we know, this pass is unnamed. We referred to it as "One-way Pass" because after climbing it, we decided we'd find another way back.
One note on the approach to the route. If we did it over again, we would try going around the lower end of the first (largest) Upper Horton Lake. It looked pretty passable, with one narrow bit between the cliffs and the lake. Our route was around the back side of the lake on the talus coming down form the crest into the lake. This added significantly to the amount of big talus we had to cross.
PHOTOS:
GENERAL OVERVIEW: It gives access between upper Horton Lakes and Desolation Lake, crossing the Sierra Crest about half way between Four Gables and Mt. Humphreys
CLASS/DIFFICULTY: Class 2
LOCATION: 37.286N, -118.684E HST Map
ELEVATION: 12,620ft
USGS TOPO MAP (7.5'): Mount Tom, CA
ROUTE DESCRIPTION: Secor provides good descriptions of this route (from both sides) as approach routes for climbing Mt. Humphreys. We scoured the internet for any trip reports for anyone having actually used it as a cross country route over the Sierra Crest. We didn't see any use paths but a few old boot prints make it clear that people do occasionally use it.
From the upper of the two Upper Horton Lakes, go up the rockbound valley (heading SW) on medium to large talus. There appear to be two possible gulley routes along the south wall of this small valley on both sides of a cliff band. We tried and succeeded on the first of these. It was small loose talus and scree, but doable with full packs. From the top of the gully, an easy shallow valley leads to the obvious, sandy pass. Desolation Lake is an easy walk down. It also looked like you could follow the foot of Humphreys toward the Humphrey's Lakes and Piute Pass.
As far as we know, this pass is unnamed. We referred to it as "One-way Pass" because after climbing it, we decided we'd find another way back.
One note on the approach to the route. If we did it over again, we would try going around the lower end of the first (largest) Upper Horton Lake. It looked pretty passable, with one narrow bit between the cliffs and the lake. Our route was around the back side of the lake on the talus coming down form the crest into the lake. This added significantly to the amount of big talus we had to cross.
PHOTOS: